


Fight or Flight

by Xycuro



Series: Fratt Week #1 [2]
Category: Daredevil (Comics), Marvel, Punisher (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Earth 616 - Freeform, Established Relationship, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Midnight Sons cameo, Overstimulation, Supernatural Creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:27:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22321069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xycuro/pseuds/Xycuro
Summary: The city was never silent in any part of itself, whether under attack or not. It rewards him with an unsettled fighting spirit.
Relationships: Frank Castle/Matt Murdock
Series: Fratt Week #1 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1606588
Comments: 7
Kudos: 45
Collections: Fratt Week





	Fight or Flight

**Author's Note:**

> I like The Midnight Sons so I wanted to add them in this.
> 
> Day 2: City

  
  
It wasn't often that they would join The Midnight Sons out for a mission.  
  
  
They usually handled everything on their own, working through the city at night like every other vigilante. Matt wasn't one to work in large teams (The Defenders are an exception), but Frank knew many members and so did he. Marc was there with them along with Eric and Johnny. Danny had even mentioned being a part of the Midnight Sons a couple of times back when the two of them did recon on one side of town while Jessica and Luke investigated on the other.  
  
"They're really fun, but also pretty intense," Danny had once mentioned to him before. "They got like two Ghost Riders, some monster hunters, a couple of sorcerers, _Moon Knight_ , and Spider-Man's clone on their team and it's like a nonstop marathon of fighting bad guys all night. You have to be mentally and physically prepared for it. I always meditate and get some sleep before going out with those guys."  
  
Matt didn't think it would be that intense. Then again, he never expected to be in a situation where he had to work with them. They needed The Punisher's help and luckily enough, Daredevil was with him to add better chances. Of course, it was all for the good cause of protecting the city. Matt couldn't say no to that.  
  
What he wished he could've done was to truly take in Iron Fist's warning.  
  
He should've meditated too.  
  
  
Hours and hours went by with the group attacking enemies left to right. They couldn't catch a break at any given moment from the hordes of vampires, demons, and many other supernatural creatures that Matt had lost track of. He wondered why so many of them are spawning out tonight, and Blade only gave him a shrug and said: "I don't know; Supernatural Happy Hour can be crazy sometimes."  
  
The exhaustion wasn't what was weighing him down the entire time. It was _everything_. The noise. The smells. Constant bloodshed of creatures that didn't hold blood but had something similar that reeked of death and decay. He wasn't quite used to this. He only dealt with regular criminals on the basis. Humans, basically. Superhuman with some sort of minor supernatural element being the most extreme. At one point, Marc had asked him if he was alright while he was strangling one of the demons with his truncheon. Matt didn't know what to say other than a simple nod before bashing against another just to distract himself from the howling.   
  
They traveled alongside the Bronx, further down Manhattan, and even touched upon Times Square where a few ghouls were clawing at the screens. From there, Matt's headache only got worse while they kept eliminating every threat that came through. The static made the air uncomfortably fuzzy and the clawing sounded worse than metal forks scraping silverware. It was getting to him badly and he didn't want to fall apart. He had to keep pushing through.  
  
The only thing that helped grounded him was Frank reaching out next to him, steadying him by placing a hand on his shoulder. The smell of gunpowder and coffee blocked off the other invading scents briefly. "We're almost done, Red. Bloodstone's telling us that we just got to head over to Greenwich Village and we'll be in the clear." Good. He doesn't say anything, but he leans a bit closer to Frank, trying his best to ignore the smell of hot metal that came from Ghost Rider's chains and only focus on Frank. His heartbeat was beating hard and fast, but it paced itself. He always knows when Matt began to feel overwhelmed by his surroundings.   
  
Afterward, time seemed to go by quickly once they finished their last stop in Greenwich Village. A pack of vampires came in to attack, but Blade and Elsa Bloodstone went ahead and had a field day. The cut of knives and the constant reloading of shotguns was booming alongside the screams.  
  
Frank was the one that broke his autopilot state, whispering that they finally got the job done.  
  
  
Finally.  
  
  
Matt doesn't remember how they got back home, but he did remember Frank's voice keeping him in reality. Everything was going by so fast and his muscles were still tense from the mission marathon. He needed to breathe. He needs to be away from the mess they've all created. They took short cuts of different alleyways, went to streets where the stench of food didn't invade his nostrils. The ex-marine made sure that they walked within the shadows and away from people before reaching the van. He even tried to get Matt to focus on his voice, whispering a few sentences to draw his attention away from everything. But it was still too much input. Too much filtering in and out that it was further convincing Matt to have a meltdown.   
  
From each corner, there was always something there that spoke out against the darkness. It always was like that. The city changed so quickly once the danger that they hunted down was kept away for now.  
  
It only made him more paranoid.  
  
  
When they got to Matt's apartment, Frank nudged him to sit down, reminding him again that the job was done. He can shed off his Daredevil skin and try to relax, but he doesn't want to. He _can't_. There was still the rush of adrenaline flowing in his veins and it was one of the only things within him that was keeping him from being torn apart by everything. He wants to keep going. Keep his head up before he starts drowning again. He doesn't want the city to swallow him whole.  
  
  
The mask was taken off eventually and Matt worked his way around the gloves then the zippers. "Need any help?" Frank would ask, and Matt would shake his head hastily, telling him he'll be fine.  
 _  
_( _Everything is suffocating me and I want to breathe_ , is what he couldn't say.)  
  
"You'll be alright, Red. We just have to take it easy for now-"  
  
"No; it's okay, I'm fine, I'm feeling better, it's just..." He's not exactly feeling better per se, it's more like he can't think clearly right now. He feels like he should take on the world, just so that he can show proof of how much fight is still left in him. He needed an outlet. "We should go out again, do something, _anything_."  
  
He heard a confused noise that came from Frank. "What? We just came back from that whole shit-show earlier. Come on, let's just relax for a bit, okay?" Bless him, he's trying his best to calm him down. Matt was grateful for that, but it wasn't enough to settle the fire that was waiting to burst through his skin.  
  
Matt felt a hand go over his but he immediately got up. "I can't right now, Frank. Relaxing isn't going to burn off the adrenaline. Damn it, I can still smell their blood..." Do demons even _have_ blood? Whatever substance that came out of them when Frank shot their heads off smelled somewhat aligned to it. "The city is still screaming, Frank, I can't stop listening... we should... we need to..."  
  
  
He doesn't know what to do.  
  
  
The unease that came from Frank began to break through the mess that was muddling his head. Frank got up from his spot and ran his hand through his ruffled hair, splitting through a few knots. His other hand went over to press against his cheek. For a moment, it helped Matt focus on one thing rather than a million others and he couldn't help but soak in the feeling.  
  
"I didn't expect the mission to go out the entire night. I would've warned you if it was going to be a full-on monster-hunting spree, but Spector sometimes doesn't tell me shit."  
  
"It's not that, I'm _fine,_ it was _fine_ ," Matt hissed out, breaking out of the gentle motion just to retort. "I could've handled it..."  
  
"But it wasn't your night, right?" Frank asked, his tone calm and collected. "You weren't feeling completely one hundred percent and this only wore you down even more."   
  
Matt hated that he was right. Last night didn't give him a good amount of sleep and he didn't give himself a break to center himself during the day. And again, meditating would've been great. The vigilante originally planned on doing a quick patrol around Hell's Kitchen to get himself back at peak focus so that he could call it a night. However, Matt had ignored all of that just so that he can have an excuse for using his fists without holding back.   
  
Now he can't tune out the city because his entire body had no choice but to revert to autopilot. His fight or flight response is completely off balance.  
  
"Yeah... I can't... I can't shut everything out right now." Matt admitted as he tries to listen to Frank's steady heartbeat and the tapping of his fingers.  
  
"It's okay, Red, nothing to be ashamed of," Frank whispers, pressing his forehead against his. "You just gotta relax is all. Instead of going out again, how about we take a quick shower?" He continued as he moves them closer to the bathroom. Matt didn't stop him, moving along as well. "I'm not going anywhere; I've got you, alright?"  
  
  
Yes, he did.  
  
  
Matt was always grateful for that.   
  
Frank gave a quick kiss on his forehead once Matt slowly nodded his head, agreeing on the shower. His lips were slightly chapped, but Matt didn't mind. It was enough texture to help him focus better.  
  
While the shower began to warm up, they were stripped from their clothes and slowly entered the spray. It was nice. Soothing.   
  
The water was warm enough to loosen up Matt's tense muscles, and the furious spray managed to block out a few sounds. Each droplet was another distraction for him and it was welcomed.   
However, Matt still felt his blood pumping. He wanted to go back out to the city. He wanted to burn it off quickly. But a pair of hands went through his hair again, making his eyes close so that shampoo wouldn't trickle down into them.  
  
Fingernails scraped at his scalp lightly, letting the suds go through as he leaned closer from behind. It felt good. Grounding him again to a center where it felt like it was only him and Frank.  
  
Matt turned around after the shampoo washed off, leaning forward to catch Frank's lips. He still felt the prickling of his blood rush go through him like circuits, and being engulfed in Frank's scent, a heartbeat - hell - his everything, made him hungry for more. Helps him distance himself away from their surroundings.  
  
" _Red_..." Frank muttered out before kissing him back, now gripping at his slick skin and opening his jaw more. Matt hummed when Frank pressed him against the tiles, taking his sweet time to taste him. It only made him want more, Matt tugging at his lower lip and biting slightly to give a sting. Frank leaves his mouth briefly to kiss at his exposed neck, sucking a few bruises to mark a trail as he suddenly began sinking down lower.  
  
A gasp left his body when Frank took him in his mouth, feeling his tongue lap around him as he worked his way into making Matt a moaning mess. The only thing that kept Matt from toppling over was keeping his hands busy kneading through Frank's hair. He drags out a breathy moan as he shudders, feeling the cool tiles press into his back again and the water washing over them.  
  
After that, Matt's head cleared up slightly, feeling his legs grow weaker as Frank stood again. However, he still had enough energy left to press Frank against the tiles this time. Matt wanted to return the favor. He grabbed him where he needed the most and stroked him continuously, earning himself more moans and sighs from Frank. He pressed his face into Frank's shoulder to bite and taste his skin heating up from the pleasure.   
  
They both ended up leaning against the walls for support.  
  
As the condensation continued to fog up the mirror, Frank spoke up after he regains himself. "Feeling better?"  
  
"Mmm," Matt smiled, balancing his center again now that the scent of tonight was finally gone. All he focused on now was the water and Frank's heartbeat pressed against his chest. "Much better; now let's actually have a shower."  
  
  
Everything went still afterward, meaning the city that surrounded them welcomed him back.

  
  



End file.
